So This is Christmas
by tlcroft
Summary: It's Aaron, JJ, and Spencer's first official Christmas together as a family...


So this is Christmas

Criminal Minds: It's Christmas Eve at the Aaronner house...

T just in case: Aaron/Reid/JJ, Henry & Jack

Yes, gentle readers, Aaron, Spencer, and JJ are a trio and spending their first Christmas together...

# # # # # #

Spencer Reid smiled sadly as he touched one of the ornaments on the Christmas tree. Henry and Jack had been so enthusiastic about putting up the tree, especially when it came to the ornaments. Aaron and JJ had brought out both of their sets, combining them as they decorated the pine tree Aaron had put up earlier in the day. Naturally all the ornaments the boys had made in school over the years had places of honor. What had surprised the boys though, was that Spencer had no ornaments or Christmas decorations of his own to bring out.

Aaron had bit his lip, wondering how to explain that Spencer hadn't had much reason to decorate for Christmas or that his mother had destroyed the ornaments he had made in school in one of her 'episodes'. In the end he said nothing. Spencer distracted the boys with magic tricks while Aaron and JJ cleared away the now empty boxes then brought out hot cocoa with marshmallows. Now the exhausted boys were asleep upstairs and the adults were relaxing.

"I feel like I failed the boys," Spencer confessed, his head on JJ's shoulder as Aaron rubbed the ache out of his bad knee. "I should have had something for Christmas."

"It's not your fault you don't, Spence," JJ soothed him, stroking his long hair. It hung past his shoulders now, the silky locks making Aaron itch to bury his fingers in that honey colored mass.

"It feels like it is," Spencer answered softly, looking so young and vulnerable it nearly broke their hearts. Spencer was strong, God, he wouldn't have survived his childhood if he wasn't, but sometimes he just seemed so fragile. "I wish I had heirlooms to share-"

"You do, Spencer," Aaron interrrupted. "You have your books and memories of what your mother taught you. It's enough." He stood up, holding his hands out to his lovers. "Now, come to bed; it's late and Christmas morning comes way too soon with little boys in the house."

"Only too true," JJ groaned as she tucked herself under Aaron's left arm, his right looped around Spencer's waist. "With everyone coming here tomorrow, we'll need all the sleep we can get."

Quietly they turned out the lights and checked the security system before heading up to bed. Spencer quietly stripped and put on his pajamas as Aaron stripped down to his boxers and teeshirt and JJ slipped into a short cotton nightgown. Then JJ slipped into bed, Spencer beside her with Aaron on his other side. With his male lover spooned up behind him and JJ nestled against his chest, Spencer let his tears come. No matter what Aaron and JJ said, he still felt like he should have some momento of a family Christmas to bring to his new family. Soon he had cried himself to sleep.

"Did you get it?" Aaron asked softly and JJ smiled.

"I got it and hid it under the tree while you had Spence helping you in the kitchen. I can't wait to see his face tomorrow," she whispered back gleefully. Aaron just smiled down at her, equally gleeful about their planned surprise.

# # # # # #

"Here, Spence, this is yours," JJ smiled as she handed her younger lover a small package. Aaron watched closely as Spencer unwrapped the gift, smiling as he took the small crystal angel out of the box. Spencer began to cry as he read the quote etched on the bell of the skirt. Gently Aaron pillowed Spencer's head against his shoulder, letting him cry himself out. Sensitive to Spencer's shifting mood, Jack and Henry abandoned their new toys to hug him tightly. Spencer returned the hugs as his tears slowly quit coming, JJ wiping the moisture from his face.

"Let's...let's get this on the tree," Spencer told the boys, standing up to hang the angel. Jack and Henry smiled as the angel sparkled in the light.

"Perfect," Jack proclaimed.

"Now we're all there," Henry agreed.

The doorbell rang and Aaron kisssed Spencer's temple before going to let David Rossi in...

"Family don't end with blood." Bobby Singer, SUPERNATURAL


End file.
